


I Serve my Nation of Haven

by ExtraPenguin



Series: The Honorverse in Poetry [1]
Category: Honor Harrington Series - David Weber
Genre: Gen, Poetry, Sestina
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-11
Updated: 2013-07-11
Packaged: 2017-12-19 03:57:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/879180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ExtraPenguin/pseuds/ExtraPenguin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A sestina from Theisman's POV, set shortly after Ransom departs with the <i>Tepes</i>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Serve my Nation of Haven

I serve my nation of Haven  
Whose leaders leak away its honor  
Whose guardians stay only of duty  
Trapped by Commissioners in a shipboard prison  
Spreading outwards, star to star  
Does this truly serve the people?

The Legislaturalists were removed by people  
Working for the best of Haven  
The planet orbits around its star  
Caring not for mortal honor  
Nor for becoming the people's prison  
I fight for Pierre because of duty

Loyalty should outrank duty  
But I have no loyalty to those people  
Who run my nation as a prison  
Even if its very name is Haven  
Even if they eat its honor  
While it goes around its star

The orders are to invade each star  
Of Manticore; obey your duty,  
“There is no need for you to fear Honor  
Harrington, for even she must fear the people!”  
Tourville succeeds, she surrenders to Haven  
Ransom interferes – executed, not sent to prison

Is Camp Charon truly a worse prison  
Than what we all face beneath our star?  
The planet of Enki is a part of Haven  
Would I defend it if it weren't my duty?  
Ransom claims to serve the people  
Yet unwisely spends all their honor

After they're done I'll have no honor  
Left; my mind will be my prison  
Horrors are done in the name of the People  
By those who wouldn't delight in a single star  
I won't leave for I still have my duty  
To serve the People's Republic of Haven

I know not the people of my Star  
Nation; yet I know its honor is held in prison  
I know my duty to Haven.


End file.
